No Middle Ground
by PrincessSerenity101
Summary: Namine moves to Destiny Islands after getting involved in a mysterious accident. Despite isolating herself, she rouses the curiosity of two opposing forces. The neutrality of her heart upsets the balance of the island, and everyone is out to get her. Kairi, the purest of them all, wants to unlock her secrets and use them for good, but a certain organization has other plans. AU N/K
1. Prologue

No Middle Ground

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

_A/N: This is my first foray into the fandom, so please enjoy!_

_**Prologue**_

If there's one thing that I'm not, it's a fighter. I detest fighting. My scrawny body isn't meant for that sort of thing at all. I've been in many one-sided fights where I let the other person beat me to a pulp; I've been in fights where I try to defend myself but ultimately fail; and I've been in fights where I've been outnumbered. Yet for some reason, today is different.

"Stupid little witch! I knew there was something weird about you. What a freak!"

Another thing I despised was the word 'witch.' I hear it every day, and it never ceases to make me upset. I know that whatever I am isn't normal, but I don't take well to being called a witch. You'd think that people would realize that the oppressed can only be pushed into a corner for so long. Today, I've had it with being passive and weak. If it's a fight this bitch wants, it's a fight she'll get.

Yuffie Kisaragi is a strong girl. She grew up in Hollow Bastion, the slums of Radiant Garden that were sectioned off from the rest of the city by a huge castle-like fort. I'm sure she's had her fair share of brawls before she decided to target me. She's slightly taller than me and mirrors my build almost exactly. Unfortunately for me, she knows how to use her body for violence.

Yuffie waves my sketchbook around, stepping on all the pages that she tore out. My eyes rock back and forth like a pendulum as I watch it dangle from her hand. I lunge at Yuffie, taking her by surprise. She drops the sketchbook and stumbles back a few steps, but she regains her balance and the upper hand. She grins at me and throws me to the marble floor. My head ricochets off it with a thud and it hurts like hell. My first reaction is to check my head for any wounds, which proves to be a big mistake. Yuffie kicks me square in the ribcage and my body starts to burn. With each kick, I remember everything.

Every smile she ever sent my way.

Every compliment she ever gave me.

Every lie she told me.

Every kiss she pitied me with.

And so much more.

All the more reason for me repay her for what's she's done to me.

I grab her leg mid-kick firmly. She tries to shake me off, but my grip is tight. I use her leg as support, dragging her down as I go up. Equilibrium is made, and we're both bending over. I bring one hand to her cheek, slowly followed by the other. Now she looks scared. She finally realizes that I'm the one who's ultimately in control.

"Let me do you a favor, _babe_," I whisper mockingly. My voice bounces off the walls and amplifies its volume. That alone brings Yuffie to tears. I've never seen her cry, and before this moment I never wanted to see her let her guard down. Keeping up her walls made me feel safe once upon a time, but now I'm loving every second of it.

"I'll make sure you forget everything. Goodnight, Yuffie."

After that, reality goes into fast motion. For a fraction of a second, I hear a high-pitched scream. It fades out before I know it, but I know that her shrill scream lasted a lot longer than I thought. When I release her, she drops to the floor instantly. I allow myself to look at her lifeless body for two seconds. That's never happened before, and I really hope that I didn't kill her.

For the first time, I get really scared myself. I run away as fast as I can through the twisted corridors of the castle-fort. The place that used to be our safe haven is now forbidden territory. Not even my home is a sanctuary. Tears blur my vision as I take the back roads and alleyways of Hollow Bastion back into the main part of Radiant Garden. I make sure no one can see me in this terrible state. Should anyone see me, they'll know something is wrong – and think I'm the cause of it. This time, it wouldn't be too far from the truth.

When I get home, I burst through the door and find my dad in the kitchen. He rips his eyes away from the dinner he was preparing and is horrified by what he finds. I know I look a mess. The back of my head is warm and throbbing relentlessly, and I wonder if the headache is coming from the wound or my chronic migraines. My lungs press against my ribcage with each pant, and the pain in my body is doubled. We don't need to verbally communicate because we already know what we have to do.

It looks like our time in Radiant Garden has come to an end.

_**-End Prologue-**_

_Tell me what you guys think of this so far! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	2. Chapter One

No Middle Ground

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

_A/N: The characters will get a little OOC from here on out. You've been warned._

_**Chapter One**_

I peek through the hole of the blanket. A blinding light hits me right in the eye, but I blink the discomfort away and look out the window. The plane is soaring high in the sky, sharing the space with the all of the thick clouds. We descend through them and jerk left, right, up, and down until we are finally underneath the white masses. The turbulence makes me a bit queasy, but I try to hold it together until we land. It's for this reason I hate flying, but there's no other way to get to my destination.

Through the hole, I see crystal-clear, blue water. The sea is vast and never-ending, and no part of me particularly missed it after moving away. The scenery is beautiful, I have to admit, but it's also plain and boring. Nothing like the city. Until this morning, I lived in Radiant Garden for a few years. Before that, I lived in Twilight Town until I was about fourteen-years-old. Both places were bursting with life, though latter was more easy-going than the former. Going back to a place like Destiny Islands is a huge change that I'm not ready to commit to, but I have no choice in the matter.

Destiny Islands is where I was born. A tropical little getaway hidden from the rest of the world unless you knew where to look. The only way to get to each island is by boat, but there's only one island worth going to from the main one. I don't bother trying to remember what the islands look like because I know it's a waste of time. At some point, I shoved the memories of home into the sea of forgetfulness, thinking I would never return to this place.

Now completely awake, I remove the old blanket from my body and start folding it up. I place the neat square on my lap and keep it there until the pilot announces that we're due for landing soon. I put it back in the little plastic bag it came in and set it aside in favor of my backpack. My hand delves inside of it until it feels folded pack of papers. I pull it out with some regret, sadness, and anger.

It's the newspaper that announced Yuffie's apparent madness, first published three month ago. She had been missing for a few days, but a search party eventually found her where I had left her. Thankfully, she had woken up by the time they had found her, but she couldn't speak intelligible words. As the article describes her, she was hysterical and could only scream when approached. Whatever I had done to her really destroyed her psyche, and I wish I could apologize to make it all better.

A lump threatens to form in my throat, so I swallow it down quickly. Putting the newspaper away, I look to my left and see my father sleeping next to me. He's down for the count, and I don't have the guts to wake him up. Seeing him vulnerable and peaceful is rare, and I honestly love it. He works too hard for his own good, but I know that he only does it to keep a roof over our heads. Since Mom is gone, he does almost everything on his own. I try to help as much as I can, but we always end up moving when things get too hard for us to maintain. Nowadays, lack of money hasn't really been an issue though. The last two times we've had to move was because of me and my inability to control my emotions.

Yet by a stroke of luck (or misfortune), we've ended up back where we started.

I bite my bottom lip at the thought of starting all over again. I've changed a lot over the years, and I'm not exactly excited to conform to the Destiny Islands way of life. If the people are anything like the ones I've come into contact with at Twilight Town or Radiant Garden, then I'll happily live a hermit's life until I have to move again. My heart beats faster as an anxiety attack rears its ugly little head. I breathe steadily until I calm down. I check my pockets for a familiar item and find that they are empty. I frown deeply and mentally grumble obscenities.

_Note to self: Buy a pack of cigs once you land._

* * *

Dad hates it when I smoke. He had hoped that I wouldn't pick up the habit like he did, but I ended up doing just that. As long as I wasn't smoking in front of him, he didn't punish me for it. Before it became an addiction, I smoked to calm my nerves. It helped keep stress at bay and allowed for better concentration. Now I smoke for the sake of it. My body craves nicotine, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Because of this deadly habit, Dad sent me away to explore the main isle of our new home by myself. As soon as we had arrived at the house, I was ready to give into my nicotine addiction. I wanted to help unpack with Dad since there was so much stuff to do, but he wouldn't have it. I didn't know whether or not I should be happy about his command, but I didn't protest. However, I couldn't give the wrong impression right away and smoke in front of strangers. I made sure to find a secluded area near the house to do my business before leaving.

Now I'm walking the streets in search of life. Destiny Islands is too quiet, and I already don't like the atmosphere. The only sounds I hear are the seagulls squawking overhead, the waves in the distance, and the wind blowing the leaves of the tropical trees. You'd think that kids would be running around on a beautiful day like this or something, but I guess that's too much to ask for in a place like this.

I walk the streets alone until I get to the center of the isle, the town square. It's the most festive part of the town I've seen so far, but it doesn't interest me at all. It has vendors on the outskirts with a huge common in the center. It's quaint but definitely not my scene. As I walk from one end of the square to the other, I notice eyes following me as I pass. Some of the faces I recognize and some of them I don't. Like I said before, I forgot everything about Destiny Islands when I got the chance.

In the midst of all these people, I lock eyes with one girl in particular. Her shoulder-length hair is a beautiful burgundy that shines bright in the sun's light. Her eyes are as blue as the sea surrounding this landmass, and I could honestly stare into them forever. Before I can get a good look at the rest of her, she smiles at me before running off. I have no idea what her deal is, but she's already weird in my book.

As I continue to explore, more people begin to appear. They stare at me curiously, and it makes me uncomfortable. Because today is the first day of my return, I had made sure that I wore the most normal outfit I had – a plain white blouse with a pair of faded jeans and black sneakers. The jeans are fraying at the ends, which give them a subtle punk look. My actual wardrobe isn't as innocent as this, but walking into uncharted territory without looking normal on the first day was preposterous!

I check myself a few times to see if there's any stray ash lingering around from my last cig, but I don't find anything. I conclude that the stares are increasing because I'm the new girl in town (or the girl returning after eleven years or so). It takes me about three hours to walk around the whole island and an extra hour to get back home. The sun is setting on this tiny place, and I'm glad the day was finally coming to an end.

Upon my arrival, I see the lights on in the house. Shadows flicker in the window and I feel rather confused. Outside of the house are new pieces of furniture. I guess it's safe to assume that Dad bought it while I was out. I hurry inside to see who else is home besides him. He is the first person I see, but two other figures quickly flock to his side. My eyes shift from body to body, not comprehending what's going on.

"Hey, honey, you're back," he smiles. "Look at who decided to help us move in. Do you remember them?" I want to answer honestly, but I know that the other two teens would get their feelings hurt.

"Yeah, a little bit," I lie, my eyes quickly analyzing them. The tall boy on my father's right side has brown, spiky hair. He must have needed a lot of hair gel to pull off that hairstyle, but who am I to judge? The girl on Dad's left is the one that I had seen earlier, and she's as beautiful as the last time had seen her. I'm surprised that I had known her once upon a time.

Satisfied with my answer, the girl rushes over to me and hugs me as tightly as she can. Awkwardly, I pat her back. Her scent is a pleasant mix of strawberries and the sea, which almost makes me regret smoking hours before. She seems to notice the hint of nicotine in the air when she pulls away and stares at me with confusion. Her smile falters for a moment as she backpedals to Dad's side.

"Kairi said she saw you earlier and recruited Sora to help us move in," Dad explains, saying their names for me. I play with their names in my head and try to bring up memories long forgotten. A fuzzy image of their younger selves comes up in the forefront of my mind, but it's not enough for me remember them entirely. Kairi, however, feels a lot more familiar than Sora.

Dad pats their backs and thanks them for their hard work. He turns back to me and says, "Kairi's family is inviting us to dinner to celebrate our homecoming." I force a smile and express my joy. Free food always sounds like a good idea.

"And you get to stay with us until you're settled in!" Kairi interjects. My heart sinks at the sound of that. I was hoping that Dad would let me stay here with him and help him with the rest of the furniture, but as usual he ruins my plans. I give him a look that expresses my displeasure, but the other two don't pick up on it. Kairi continues to smile at me while Sora gives me a blank stare.

I try my hardest to maintain my fake smile and I even bare my teeth. "That's sounds great. I can't wait to catch up," I say. Kairi looks overjoyed, Dad gives me a nod of approval, and Sora just stands there. Dad tells me to pack some clothes for the night so that Kairi and I can leave. At that point, Sora and Kairi go outside to wait for me.

During this time, I rack my brain for memories of Kairi and Sora. If they were ever important to me, I would remember them.

* * *

"Where'd you move to after you left?"

"Twilight Town and Radiant Garden."

"Really? I used to live in Radiant Garden!"

"Am I the only one who's always lived here?"

"Looks like it, Sora."

Sora sighs and Kairi giggles at him, but I don't understand what's so funny. I find the conversation boring and bland, so I try not to contribute to it until someone speaks to me. For most of the walk, Kairi and Sora are the only ones actually talking. Unfortunately, Sora seems to notice my silence and offers more conversation.

"What's it like there?"

"Radiant Garden or Twilight Town?"

"Both."

I shrug my backpack into a more comfortable position on my shoulders and look up into the sky. It's a breathtaking fusion of pink, orange, blue, and indigo, and I want to re-create it in my sketchbook. I suppress my artistic urges and focus on the question at hand.

"A lot more exciting than this place," I answer curtly. The others frown at my tone, but I figure I have to be honest at least once before the day ends. When we arrive at Kairi's house, she perks up considerably. She grabs my hand and intertwines our fingers. The familiarity of her soft skin is comforting enough for my body to react. My brain is unable to keep up, and I tighten the grip on her hand. Kairi's excitement continues to grow while Sora shoots me a disapproving frown.

From here, we bid farewell to Sora, who seems unwilling to leave. It's obvious that he feels threatened by my apparent relationship with Kairi, although I still barely know her. Kairi leads me inside and we're enveloped by warm air. I can feel the sense of love and family in the atmosphere, and I feel very out of place. As I meet (or get reacquainted with) Kairi's parents, I flip the off switch in my mind and let my body go into auto-pilot.

All the while, Kairi's eyes stay on me. She sticks close to me and never lets go of my hand. Despite myself, I cling to her like a nervous child. I feel awkward and she's the only person I know right now. There's nothing I want more than to be alone, but if Kairi can save me from this encounter, I can squeeze her into my personal time.

* * *

Dinner was almost uneventful. Almost.

Kairi's parents talked to my dad while Kairi and I talked amongst ourselves. Well, Kairi did most of the talking, but eventually she got the hint that I wasn't very social. She snuck glances at me the entire time and all I could do was ignore her. The food was a lot better than Dad's cooking, so it helped distract me. If the sneaking looks at me wasn't enough, Kairi's knee kept brushing into mine. I didn't make a scene about it, but it confused the hell out of me.

In the midst of all of this, my memories of Kairi slowly come back to me. Flashes of the two of us playing in the sand at the edge of the main island dance around my brain, but I can't think beyond that. Apparently, we used to be friends, but I gathered that piece of information hours ago.

Afterwards, Kairi showed me around the house as if I were lodging there for more than a day. It wasn't until we got to her room that I realize something – Dad had intended for me to stay here until the house was presentable. That meant I was stuck with this cute piece of jailbait. Great.

Kairi's room is a dark hue of red. It almost matches the color of her hair, but the dim lighting makes the room seem darker than it really is. Posters of celebrities and athletes adorn every wall, and there's even one poster above the bed. The picture is of Setzer Gabbiani, one of the 'strongest' men in Twilight Town and a closet gambler. I don't have the heart to tell her that he's a fraud, so I keep my lips sealed.

A desk stands next to the door with a desktop computer and lamp sitting on top. Against the adjacent wall is the dresser with a decent mirror. Pictures of Kairi's various friends decorate it, but the one that really catches my eye is one of her and Sora. If they aren't already a couple, I wonder what they're waiting for. The bed is up against the wall with the window, which allows for relaxing stargazing with a nice view of the town's south end. Apparently, living on a hill had its perks.

"Nice room," I comment. She shrugs and sits in her swivel chair near the desk and watches me. I sit on her bed hesitantly, putting my bag down on the floor and play with my platinum-blonde hair. Engaging in conversation has always been awkward for me, so I usually distance myself. It's a defense mechanism just in case. I don't really like having my feelings hurt.

"Do you actually remember me or were you lying before?"

The question is unexpected, and I'm taken aback. In this moment, I study her facial expression so that I know how to gauge my answer to satisfy her. Her pout is serious yet playful. The way her eyebrows knit together and her cheeks inflate are familiar and stir up old images of her face. She used to make that same face when she couldn't have her way. Her lower lip almost covered the top one, meaning she wanted to get more information out of me. I giggle a bit and let my amusement show.

"I do remember you – only a little," I reply. "We were friends, right?" Kairi let the pout fade and her lips formed a small smile. "_Best_ friends," she emphasized. "Our parents are good friends, so we just kind of clicked." The room gets silent and I feel myself relaxing. In foreign environments, I never let my guard down. Something about this place, or maybe even Kairi, makes me feel at peace. I slide back to the other side of the bed and feel my shoulders hit the wall. Having already taken off my shoes, I hug my knees to my chest. I close my eyes and let a sigh of relief escape my lungs.

I hear Kairi move around on the swivel chair but I don't mind the noise. I try to remember old memories of the two of us, but all I get are fuzzy images. I'm sure the memories will come back to me at some point. Disposing of memories and regaining them when I needed them are my specialty. Memories are generally fickle and always altered by mere emotions; they never match up with the actual event that had previously occurred. However, my memory is always correct. I remember anything I need to know, and I can forget whatever I don't want to remember. That sort of 'power' has gotten me in trouble more often than not, so I always keep my mouth shut.

My mind is buzzing with thoughts until I feel more pressure on the bed. Something soft pushes against my lips forcefully. I open my eyes and find Kairi's face close to mine. Her tongue forces its way into my mouth and I feel violated. That's when I remember everything about us – every adventure, scheme, and plot that we've ever been a part of. She and I were a dynamic duo until I moved away.

Time stops in order for my mind to comprehend what's going on. As all the images start flooding into my memory banks, I catch glimpses of Sora. He tried to get in on our magic but to no avail. It seems that he took my spot as Kairi's best friend as soon as the opportunity arrived. I resent him for it, but I have to remind myself that there's nothing to be upset about. The Kairi in front of me is a mystery; I only know who she used to be, not what she has become.

When time flows again, I push Kairi away and try to muster up anger, but I can't bring myself to be mad at her. If I had seen it coming, I might have enjoyed it. I'm all for random hookups, but Kairi doesn't seem to be that sort of person. My heart tells me that there's no trace of darkness within her, and I choose to believe it. Looks can be deceiving, but I know for sure that she is a good girl.

Kairi almost falls off the bed but manages to keep her balance. She inhales a large amount of air, but that's not enough to satisfy her lungs. She pants like she just ran a marathon as she goes through her drawers. A minute later, she pulls out an inhaler and hastily puts the opening in her mouth. She presses the button on top and breathes in whatever comes out of it, visibly becoming much more relaxed. She puts it back where she found it and sits in her swivel chair.

"You have asthma," I mean to ask, but it comes out as a statement. She nods but doesn't look at me directly. Either she's ashamed of having asthma or embarrassed she had an asthma attack in front of me. Regardless of what she's thinking, I don't judge her for it.

"I can taste it," she says next, throwing me off guard. I can't see her eyes so I can't read her. Her body language says that she's embarrassed, but her eyes could possibly be saying something else.

"What, our dinner? Yeah, that was only ten minutes ago," I quip, trying to make light of the situation. Kairi looks upset, but I don't know how to make this any better. I'm not good with dealing with other people's emotions, and I hope she gets the hint by now.

"Your mouth is as dry as ash," she explains, looking up at me, "and I can still smell the nicotine. I was hoping I was imagining things earlier." I wait for her to judge me because that's usually what comes next. Instead, there's an awkward silence where we just stare at each other. Minutes pass before Kairi regains her voice.

"Sorry. That was uncalled for," she apologizes. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. "If it makes you feel better, I don't mind kisses from pretty girls," I joke. She cracks a small smile, but I know it won't last for long. "Look, after this living situation is sorted out, we can't be friends," I say.

Kairi's smile falls ungracefully. She looks as though someone threatened to change her whole life as she knew it. "I don't understand. Why not?" she asks.

"Someone like you doesn't want to get involved with someone like me – trust me on that."

Kairi crosses her arms in a sassy way and pouts again. She's too cute for her own good, and it makes it all the more imperative to stay away from her. "What are you like?" she asks. I grin as I stand up and stretch. I walk over to her and disregard her personal space by standing nose to nose. She blushes from the lack of space, which affirms her innocence. She would never be able to handle my reckless personality.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out."

_**-End Chapter One-**_

_Why is Namine pushing Kairi away already? I guess we'll find out soon! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	3. Chapter Two

No Middle Ground

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

_**Chapter Two**_

Dad and I manage to get the house together before the start of school. It's weird living in a house after so many years of living in an apartment. The change is good, and I soak it in as much as possible. Because of the space, Dad thinks I should invite Kairi or Sora over for the company, but I never do. I haven't spoken a word to either of them since for at least a week, and I don't plan on doing so any time soon. Of course, there's no doubt that I'll encounter them at school since there's only one school on this entire island. Lucky me.

The weeks go by and I'm prepared for the first day of school. The first thing I do in the morning, of course, is smoke. I wake up earlier than I need to just for the occasion. Not only will I get to school on time, but I'll also keep my nicotine craving at bay until the end of the school day. If my strategy isn't genius, I don't know what is.

Just as I drop the cigarette and snuff it out with my foot, I see Kairi, Sora, and two other boys trailing behind them. I watch them, hoping that they'll pass, but they come closer to me instead. Kairi, as cheerful as ever, waves to me and rushes to my side. At first, I'm caught off guard by the fact that she's wearing a uniform while two of the other boys aren't. She grabs me by the hand and pulls me into the group.

"Hey, Namine! This is Roxas and Ventus," she says, pointing at the two boys one at a time. "Guys, this is Namine." If she hadn't motioned to them, I wouldn't have been able to tell which was which. Roxas is wearing two small jackets, which I find odd considering the fact that it's pretty hot out. His inner jacket is black, and the one on top is beige with a red hood. His pants match both jackets, and his shoes are gray. Ventus, being slightly shorter than Roxas, is wearing the male version of Kairi's uniform – a white short-sleeved button-up with a blue and white plaid tie, blue slacks, and black shoes. I can't help but notice that he's using a cane for support, but I don't say anything of it.

Roxas wears a cheesy grin while Ventus seems shy. "Nice to meet you," Roxas says, too excited for his own good. Ventus simply waves. I wave back but keep my lips pressed together. Kairi ushers us to walk, and I have no choice but to follow her command. She lets go of my hand and talks to Sora, which apparently pleases him more than it pleases me. Just when I think I'm safe, Roxas puts his arm around my shoulder.

"You're the new girl, huh?" he asks. "Where are you from?" I sneak a peek at Kairi from the corner of my eye and see that she's too consumed in her conversation to notice or care about anything else. I figure it can't hurt to talk until it's time to go our separate ways. At some point during the school year, these people will stop bothering me.

"I was born here, but I moved to Twilight Town and Radiant Garden," I answer briefly. Ventus suddenly appears on my right, apparently interested in me. He's smart enough to keep his distance and stay silent. His awkward, shy disposition is probably the only reason why he's so cautious, but I'm thankful for it either way. In my left ear, all I hear is Roxas's voice but I don't listen to a word he says. The moment we step foot on school grounds, I hear an interesting question.

"Have you ever been to The World That Never Was?"

My ears visibly perk up and I think about how to answer his question. I'm surprised that this island kid even knew about such an abomination. The World That Never Was is just a nickname for the dark corner of Twilight Town's downtown area. It's known for its high-profiled concert locales, high drug distribution rate, and prostitution. The whole place is sketchy, but the people who frequent the place are shifty. It makes for a good hideout if you know the place, but it won't hesitate to eat you alive if you're not careful. If you wanted to have a high reputation, you couldn't even think about going there. That's probably why _my_ reputation in Twilight Town went down the drain so fast.

Kairi and Sora grow silent as they look at Roxas as if he said something terrible. I look at Ventus to see his reaction, and he mouths "Sorry" and offers me an apologetic expression. The other two don't dare to look at me, and I hope they don't expect me to answer the question.

"Roxas, seriously?" Sora scoffs, hauling the boy off ahead of us. Ventus gives me one final look before running off to catch up to them. That left just me and Kairi. It looks like she's ashamed of knowing Roxas after such a question, but I don't get why.

"What do island kids like you know about The World That Never Was?" I ask nonchalantly. Kairi glares at me for using the term 'island kids' but doesn't say anything about it. When we enter the school, the air doesn't change at all. It's muggier and more humid than before, and the need for an AC is critical. I mentally applaud Kairi for thinking ahead and rolling up her uniform's sleeves up to her shoulders. After seeing a few kids, who actually wear the uniform, walking down the hallway, I appreciate the customization. It really suits her.

"Well, it's not something that everyone here knows about," she explains. "Roxas only knows about it because he wants to travel. He looks up cool places to go to, and anything that sounds remotely interesting will pique his curiosity."

And of all places, he thinks The World is interesting. That's an understatement to say the least, and I wish he had fancied another place to go to. "So you all know what that place is like, I'm assuming," I sigh. Kairi nods and shudders at the thought.

Walking the halls, I think back to the letter I got in the mail about my new homeroom. The school is ridiculously small compared to the ones in Twilight Town and Radiant Garden, but that's to be expected. From what I know, the senior class only has one hundred students. That would mean there were only three or four homerooms. There's a twenty-five percent chance that I'll end up in the same homeroom as Kairi, and I sincerely hope that we get separated.

Before heading to my homeroom, I go to the guidance office. Kairi ends up following me, and I really want to tell her to go on without me. I don't have a reason to tell her to get lost, so I keep it to myself.

The secretary is a man with dark brown hair that's slicked back with a ton of gel, but it's still pretty unruly. He's buff and meaty, but he seems to be friendly. If I had seen him anywhere but here, I'd think he were pro wrestler or something. He smiles at me and says, "You're a new face. How may I help you?"

"I got a letter from the school saying I could get my schedule here," I murmur nervously. He's not bothered by my first-day-of-school jitters and keeps smiling.

"What year are you?"

"I'm a senior."

He nods types away on his computer. He asks for my student ID number, and I tell him the number robotically. I was afraid I had forgotten it already, but then he starts printing out a piece of paper. He gives it to me, and I see all of my classes on it. Behind me, I can hear Kairi scrambling for her own schedule, probably to compare her classes with mine.

"Why did you get your schedule so late?" she asks as she takes out her own schedule.

"A few last minute changes I suppose," I shrug.

"I hope you enjoy your year here," the secretary says. "I'm sure you'll love it here when you have friends like Kairi here to help you."

Kairi can't help but smile at the compliment, but I'm tempted to tell the man that she and I aren't friends. Instead, I purse my lips together and nod. Kairi and I leave, and she tries to get a better look at my schedule, but I fold it up into a small square and keep it from her sight. I can feel the disappointment radiating from her.

We walk up to the third floor together and I notice that Kairi is still walking with me. I feel that my fate is sealed. Soon, I come to stop in front of Room 3D. Kairi continues walking and smiles back at me, waving as she enters the room next door. If there is a god out there, he must be looking out for me today. I enter the room, finding less than half the students wearing uniforms while the others were casual. As I look for an empty seat, I catch Sora sitting by the window, staring out into the distance. I cup my cheek in displeasure and sit in the farthest corner.

Contrary to popular belief, the gods aren't smiling down on me at all.

* * *

"Who's the new girl?"

"I hear her name is Namine. She doesn't really talk."

"Really? What a loser."

"Hey, don't be quick to pass judgment. I think she's kind of cool."

My timing is terrible. I had arrived at my locker to stuff my new textbooks inside of it only to stumble upon lousy gossip. Two girls stand a few lockers away from me, but they keep talking as if I'm not there. I roll my eyes but opt not to say a word. I shrug my backpack onto my shoulders more comfortably but there's nothing in it worth hauling around. I open it up and search for my sketchbook and put the bag inside my locker. Since it is lunchtime, I can go relax somewhere without Kairi or her friends to distract me.

"Hey, Namine!"

Speak of the devil. I turn to find Sora walking over towards me, and I curse under my breath. I act natural and tuck my emotions deep within my heart. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" I ask.

Sora holds up his lunch and points behind me with a hopeful look in his eyes. "Wanna go eat down in the commons?" he says. The invitation is tempting to turn down, but sitting with him won't hurt. After all, it's only the first day. I have the rest of the school year to ignore him.

"Sure," I shrug as I close my locker. He nods and leads me down the halls. The girls near my locker can't believe their eyes. I hear their feet hit the polished floor as they ran off to run their mouths. Sora doesn't seem to notice all the stares we get as walk down the hall and continues on resolutely. I want to shrink from all the attention, but I keep my head held high. This isn't the first time I've been stared at and talked about, and it surely won't be the last. Eventually, we make it to the commons. Other students are scattered about in different groups on the lush, green grass. I feel a lot better when they don't notice me. I sigh to show my relief as Sora picks a nice spot with some shade.

At first, we endure an awkward silence. I look around at the other kids, and I see some people wearing uniforms and others wearing regular attire. I'm confused about why the dress code isn't just one or the other, so I figure that now is the time to ask.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go for it."

"What's the deal with the dress code? Are we supposed to wear uniforms or not?"

Sora takes a minute to look at the other students before answering. "The school used to enforce the uniform only, but nowadays we have the choice to wear what we want as long as it's nothing too revealing or anything," he explains.

That makes sense. The two of us fall silent again for a while. Halfway through the period, Sora speaks again.

"What's the deal with you and Kairi?" he asks right off the bat.

I open up my sketchbook and study his expression. He had always seemed like the oblivious type of guy, but I'm clearly wrong. I respect his ability to be direct and I tell myself not to underestimate him.

"I know you guys used to be friends and all, but it looks like something else is going on," he continues.

I shake my head as I begin to outline his head. I have no idea how I'm going to draw his hair but I'm sure it'll all come together at the end. "Rest assured, Sora," I giggle without taking my eyes off my scarred, tattered sketchbook, "we used to be friends, and that's all. I don't even know her."

"Well, she seems to know you better than you think," he murmurs under his breath. I know that he didn't intend for me to hear that, but it's too late. Imagining Kairi talking about me as if she knew what I've become over the years amuses me. It makes me wonder what exactly she says when she talks about me.

I shake my head again to let him know that he's wrong. "She doesn't know the first thing about me," I state. "Please, don't let my presence threaten your relationship with her." I look up to see Sora's face. He's blushing as expected, but he tries to downplay it by angling his face away from my sight. I grin and go back to my sketch. Honestly, I can mess with his head all day. "Or soon-to-be relationship. Whatever you want to call it," I tease.

Sora is at a loss for words, so he stuffs his face with food. Neither of us say another word and wait until the bell sounds. We go back to our respective classes when its time. There's an unspoken promise between us, and that's to never bring Kairi up again. Fine by me. I need to stay away from her as much as possible.

* * *

By the end of the day, I get a feel for how things work around here. You wake up, go to school, shut up, learn, and leave. The students are generally well-mannered here, which is a nice change. Aside from the few goofballs that seem to be in most of my classes, everyone wants to get their education and get the hell out. Since we're seniors, there's nothing we want more than to graduate and leave this place for good. Although I couldn't exactly share the sentiment because this wasn't my original high school, I understood the feeling nonetheless.

In my classes, I see very little of Kairi and company. She shares all two of my seven classes, and that happens to be English and Phys. Ed. Sora and I only see each other during homeroom and Calculus. Interestingly enough, I don't share any classes with Roxas or Ven, but it's for the best.

I get out of my seat as soon as the bell rings and stop by my locker to get my bag. I dump my sketchbook inside and swing it onto my shoulders. I close my locker and hurry down the hall to the nearest stairwell. I need a smoke desperately, so I have to be as far away from here as possible. I make it to the front door without being detected, and I know from here on out I'm in the clear. At the halfway point where there aren't any other students, I dig through a small pocket on my bag and take out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I pop one up from the box and draw it out with my lips.

Hastily, I spark a flame and wave it at the end of the cig for dramatic flair. Shoving everything into my pocket, I inhale the cigarette and exhale smoke. My jittery nerves calm down and I can relax again. The day wasn't particularly stressful, but nicotine helps everything seem mellower.

Going home right after school doesn't interest me. I meander the hilly paths of the island toward the coffee shop as slowly as possible, trying to enjoy the cigarette while it lasts. Other students from school take notice of my presence as they walk by me. Things get quiet, and I wish I could disappear. It gets even more awkward when some of them happen to go to the coffee shop as well.

When I step foot inside, I scan the room for a good seat away from the businessmen and students. I find such a spot near the large window on the across the way, but someone else is sitting there. A man in a black coat is sitting there, sipping his coffee as the light shines on his face. The coat has skinny sleeves, which catches me off guard at first. Oddly enough, the sleeves worked to his favor – if he wants to attract the home team. I don't know if he realized this, but it's hot as hell outside, so I don't understand how he can walk around with a heavy looking coat on. He had red, spiky hair and teardrops apparently tattooed on his cheeks. Hair gel and spiky hair must be a popular trend on the island because most people I've met so far has these two physical aspects.

There's another seat on the other side of his table, and I'm tempted to interrupt his alone time. He looks like a creep, but he took the most perfect spot in the entire café. I debate it the option in my mind, and my selfish desires come out on top.

I stride over to the table, and he doesn't look up until my hand reaches for the chair. "Mind if I sit here?" I ask. He shrugs and goes back to his coffee, staring out into the distance. I take my Calc textbook and start the assignment the class was given today. A stroke of bad luck made math my first homework assignment of the year, but I just had to get over it and finish it before getting home.

"So you're a high school student."

At this point, my head is buried in the textbook. I don't particularly care for talking to this man because he's so sketchy. For all I know, he could kidnap me, murder me, and bury my body somewhere no one would think of looking. Talking to strangers has always gotten me into trouble at one point or another, but something in me always makes me talk. Perhaps it's because there's a part of me that constantly tries to be polite.

"Yup," I answer simply. I hear him put his coffee down, and I can feel his stare bearing down on me.

"What's your story? Never seen you around here before," he says.

Purposefully not answering his question, I keep my head down. Giving my whole life story will spell disaster. The question hangs up in the air, waiting to be answered. Even after ignoring it, it rings in my head incessantly. I focus more on Calc homework and let numbers and proofs stifle the question for a while. When I finish all of the problems, there's nothing left for me to distract myself with.

Finally looking up, I see the man staring at me, still expecting something out of me. I put the textbook away and stand, excusing myself. His eyes follow me to the door, and something about it creeps me out. I power-walk all the way home with an odd sense of foreboding. I didn't expect an encounter like that on Destiny Islands. I thought I had left all the weird people behind in Twilight Town and Radiant Garden.

Before I enter the house, I put out the cigarette underneath my foot. I encounter Dad sitting in the living room watching TV. He looks up at me to greet me and beckons me to his side. He wraps me in his arms and I curl up automatically.

"So how was school?"

"It was fine."

"Getting along with the other kids?"

"For now."

Dad frowns at me, but he doesn't press the subject any further. He kisses the top of my head and releases me. I go upstairs to my new room, which I still have to decorate, and collapse on my bed. Day one of school is over and I can finally rest.

_**-End Chapter Two-**_

_I wonder who that stranger is… Let's hope that Namine doesn't get into any trouble! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


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